Insulating-body for electrical apparatus.



UNITED STATES PAT-'ENT OFFICE.)

KARL c. RAN'ISALLI-AND SIDNEY w. rAnNswonmH,.oF Enenwoon PARK-ANncHARLns LE GEYT Fon'rnscnn, or PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, Assns'rvonis4 fro wEsfrINof-- noUsEnLEcTmc v'AND sYLvANIA;

United-Statea'and residents of'Edgewood Park, in thegcounty of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, and CHARLES LE GrLFoR'rns-` CUE, a subject of the King of Great Britain, anda resident of lPittsburgh,in the county of Allegheny and State of-'Pennsylvania,v

tion of the electric field, than the same me dium when adjacent to -a spherical con.

have inyented a new and A useful Improvementfin AInsulatin '-'Bodies' forVVA Electrical `ApparatuagofA whlch the following is a Our invention relates tov'irisulating bodies or Vstructuresforelectrical apparatus and4 particularly 5to such bodies or' structures as are adaptedjor separating conducting members betweenygwhich very vigh diii'erences of adapted to vseparatehigh-voltage conductors and .is ot such shapeas .to utilize, toitsfull i insulating Vvaluta/.the 'air-or other insulating medium in Vwhichv the conductors are located.

A second object of our invention is to materially simplify the formof, and thereby 4reduce the cost of'Y producing, insulating bodies for highev'olt'age service.

When a difference of potential exists between adjacent conducting bodies, the air,

or other interposed insulating medium, 1s subjectedtoistresses byireason of the electric field produced. A ield of this' charac# ter may betrepresen'ted by means of lines, the distribution and arrangement of which are dependent upon the shapes and sizes Vof the conducting bodies, the character of the insulating medium and the potential of the bodies. If two conductors are spaced apart in air,r or some other homogeneous inf sulating medium, 'a predetermined difference of potential may-exist between them without a discharge, -such condition lbeing dependent upon the shape of the, conductors and the insulating properties of the medium.

lFor example; a much greater difference of potential may eXist-betweeii spherical conductors of large-'diametrgthan between needle point conductors anda much greater difference of potential may exist between conductors which are separatedby a homogeneous mass of glass orporcelain than may Specification of Letters Patent. Aliplication filed Aprno', 1910. serial N o.' 55.8,'2'44.v

MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION or PENN-*- INsULATrNG-'Bonx ron ELEcTnIoALAPPAnATUs. i

, Patented Fence, V1915.'

exist between the same conductors in aiJr..

The influence of the shape and size maybest be understood by consideringthe influence whichthese factors exert upon the electric ductor. The electric ield may be inuenced,

not only by the shape, size and position of the conducting members, but also by introducing an insulating body having a ditfer` 'entfspecific inductive capacityjfrom thatof -thelain For example, it has been observed that a discharge may be produced betvgeen two." .conductors which are located in airiby introducing a'porcela'm or glass body intol themedium between them but without making contact lwith them. When air alone separates'` the conductors, the total drop or difference of potential is distributed through A l' it in accordance vwith theshape of the ex.-

isting 'electric field. 'The introduction of the solid insulator, however, so varies the ield as to concentrate` a proportionately greater potential stress upon the air whichthen occupies the ,space between the conductors and the insulating body.A Heretofore, insulating bodies, such as porcelain line insulators, 'or' bushings, have been corrugated, or otherwise so constructed as to'provide'a very long surface distancev between the conductors with which. theywere intended for use, in orderl to avoid a surface discharge. vA discharge of lthis kind is due to the concentration of the potential stresses in the air adjacent to the body, and the concentration of stress may result from the incorrect shape lof the conducting terminals or from the incorrect form of the insulating body, but usually both factors enter into the resulting stress.

We have discovered that the concentration' ofstress which may. be attributed to thesecond cause above referred to, maybe entirely avoided Vby making the shape of the insulating body 'such yas tol conform tothe normal lines of force which would represent the existing electric field between the conducting bodies if they were locatedin a homogeneous insulating mediu`m, such as air. In order to do this, as hereinafter more fully pointed out, it is necessary to extend the solid insulatingl body from one conductor to the other and to give it a special surface configuration.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that, if the path between conductors, on

the'surface of the insulating body, is capable of withstanding the full .voltage which the -same path through air, would withstand when the insulating body is absent, the air is utilized to its full value as an insulator andv the insulating body may be materially reduced in size and 4simplified 'in outline, thereby materially reducing its cost.

We have discovered that, in order to get the best results and to .avoid subjecting certain .portions 0f thel air to much greater stress than other portions, the form of the adjacent surfaces of the conductors and their general dimensions, as well as the form and dimensions of the, interposed insulating body, should be carefully predetermined. Furthermore, the line of intersection between the surface of each conductor and the insulating body should be a locus of equiintensity-points on the' surface of the conductor; z'. e., the surface density of the conductor,- at any point in the line of intersection, should be equal to that of every other point therein.

Itl will be evident that our invention 'is capable of very Wide application and, while it is only necessary to illustrate it in a few different relations, we do not wish to be limited t0 any Specific structure or arrangement since we believe that our discovery is broadly new.

I tional elevation and a plan view of portions of two parallel conducting planes separated Our invention is illustrated in theI accompanying drawlngs 1n which-f l y Figures land 2 are, respectively, a secby several insulating bodies. Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic view illustrating a simple method of constructing a series of lines for the purpose of representing an electric field existing between twocylindrical conductors in a homogeneous insulating medium. Fig. A.tis a diagrammatic-view representing an electric field by a series of broken lines constructed by the. method of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a partially sectional elevation of a substantially cylindrical con-ducting body projecting through an opening y in a conducting plate, the edges of the opening beingiiirged tinto a torus ring of conducting material and the electric :lield existing incase one of the conductors is at a Vdifferent potential from the other being represented by brokenlin'esas in the other figures. Fig. 6 is a view corresponding to Fig. 5, the conductor being'specially formed for the purpose of modifying thewexisting electric field. Figs.

7, 8 and 9 ard-partially sectional elevations of insulating bodies specially "adapted 'for supporting high-voltage transmission circuit conductors, one-half .of 4the insulating Vbody being shown ingress section in each case, andthe electric ld'existing in the 1nsulating bodyvbeing representedlin the other half by broken lines.

In order to clearly setforththe principles Aof our inventionfwe have illustrated it in Figs. 1 and v 2 lin the simplest 'possible manner by showing 'two parallel planeswhich arev assumed `to be of infinite size and supported by suitably formed` insulating bodies.` "Ihe-fe'lectric field existing between two"infinite conducting planes is'uniform and may. be represented by a plurality of uniformly distributed transverse lines at right angles tothe planes. The conducting prismatic in'ilform andl their axes are perpendicular to the planes.V The surface density of each plane is uniform and, consequently, need not be considered in this case.

- Two parallel conducting cylinders of indicated in Fig. 3,'sin'ce it-is possible-to' apfinite length may nextbe-considered,as 'im' Y proximately determine the electric iield I 'which exists between conducting bodies of this lshape, when located in a homogeneous insulating medium, although the iield is by no means-"uniform, v

- It is possible to experimentally determine with considera-ble accuracy, the lines-whichl correctly represent any symmetrical electric field -since it is known that these lines areall perpendicular to the equi-potential surfaces which may be imaginedas existing between cond-uctingbodies. In the case under consideration, however, it is possible to geometrically construct .the lines representing the field in the following manner: Draw two intersecting lines am and ay at' right angles to each other. With the point of intersection a as a center draw anA arc bc.

Draw any radius, suchy as a'e, and at e construct a tangent em to intersect the line ay at m. Then, with m as a center and me as a radius, draw a circle. If this circle represents one of two parallel cylinders .of in:

finite llength and the other be drawn, with an equal radius, about a center on line ay' at an equal distance on the opposite sidel of the line am; anycircular arc drawn with a center on the line aai and passing through the point b will'correctly represent aline of `force or' aow line, of the electric field existing between the cylinders. Fig. 4 is produced in the Vmanner just described, the sur- 5 face'densityof lthe cylindrical conductorl being represented by polar curves 6a and 7a.l

It is evident that, ifthe cylindrical bodies 6 j and 7 are' vto be separated' by insulating bodies having surfaces which conform to the 10 flow lines (indicated by broken lines in Fig.

4) and which intersect the conducting cylinders in vlines'which are `loci of equi-intensity points on the surfaces of the cylinders, they will assume an approximately circular or an 4 15 elliptical form in cross sectiomasbodies'S,

9 and l0 in 4Fig/1, andmust be infinite in extent. It is, of course, impossibleto prof duce or utilize an insulating body "of this form,'but it is evident thata simple insulat- 'ing body could easily beformed to properly separate two conducting spheres without in etercepting any of thel lovv lines whichrepresent the electric field existing betweenfthem.

It is frequently necessary to bring" a conducting lead through a hole or. openin a 'tankor casing and very expensive bus ings have been proposed andused for preventingv a discharge between the conductor, which is frequently at a high potential, and thecasing or tank, which is usually. grounded. The

` edges of the opening through which the con? ducting lead extendshaveordinarily been comparatively-sharp and, consequently* if there is agreatdifference of potential be- 35 tween the casingand thelead, the electric field produced is of such form as :to concentrate the stresses at the edges in the opening and to renderit extremely diiiicult yto insu# late between the two. According to our -40 present invention, we so modify the edges of Y the opening in the tank or casingl as to produce anV electric field in which the stresses are more uniformly distributed and we substif tute for the usual lead, a conducting cylinf der or tube of relatively large diameter. As

shown in-Fi`g. 5, the edges of the opening may be merged into a torus ring of conducting material in order that vthe electric field may be morel readily determined. In'this case, aninsulating body may be .employed A ring in equi-intensity lines. For example,

the insulating body- 11 may serve, not only to separatethe conducting .rodor tube 12 from the tank or `casing 13, through which it extends, but may also support the tube in .65 the. usual mannen By employing 'substam 'highvoltage service.

tially the form shown in Fig. 5, we are able to very materially reduce the -size and the cost of the `insulating body, as compared with those usually employed for high-voltage work, since the strength of the path on the surface ofthe insulating body through the air or other insulating medium, in' which the parts are located,.is not weakenedfby'the presence of the'insulating body and, ltherefore, it i's used, at its lmaximum efficiency, as

an insulator, under the existing terminalcondi'tions. l' l In the structure shown in, Fig. 6, the ed es of the opening in' thetank 13 are modi ed Tand the conducting rod or tube isreplaced by a conducting body 14 the surface'of which is so shaped as to produce a more uniform or a lower average electric stress at the surface ofthe insulating solid bodywhich is exposed to thelsurrounding insulating medium Vand thereby decrease the size of the insulating bodyA necessarily maintained between thetwo voltage exists .between them. In this case, as in those already considered, the insulating body is made to conform t'o the lines representing the electric field` so as to avoid,'in

conducting parts whenfan'y predetermined every case, intereepting. anyA of the lines;A I

thereby obtaining a maximum insulating efficiency from the air or other insulating medium surrounding the conducting bodies.I Figs. 7, 8 and 9g, are intended to represent apphcationsof our invention -to commercial line insulatorswhich are adapted for very 'In Fig.- 7, 15 represents a portion of a sup-- eay porting structure having a hole or openinge 16 through which a conducting-rod 17, having'an enlarged end 18, projects. The parts 15 and 17 are separated by an insulating body 19 Which is protected from the .weather and guarded mechanically by a capjor shield 20 of conducting material.' The cap' 20 is secured to the support v15 land serves to influence the electric field and thereby tov simplify the insulating structure within. A- conducting wire 21 may be secured' to the lower end of the rod 17 by any suitable means, such` as clamps, 22.

InFig. 8 a somewhat similarstructure is iis shown, except that the cap 2O is replaced by a cap orvbell 23 of conducting material to -which a conducting Wire 24 is secured. The conducting rodA 17 'is replaced, in'this case,

by a supporting' in 25 whichis enlarged'at its upper endan is-separatedfrom the bell 23 by an insulating body 26. l i

Still another application of our invention I is shown in Fig. 9, the arrangement in this case beingparticularly adaptedfor use as a Y suspension type insulator.

Our invention is, of course, not restricted to any particular application and wedesire thatits scope shall be limited only by` the appended '.clanns.

members of unlike electrical potentials, of an f lines of forcesrepresenting the electric field members arelloci of equi-intensity pointson j 60 interposed insulating body havingits4 surfaces 'so shaped as to substantially conform to the lines of force representingthe electric geld existing between the conducting lmemers.v

` 2. The combination with conducting lmembers of different potentials, of'v an interposed insulating body having its surfaces44 so shaped as to `conform to the Vlines of force representing the electric field existing between the conductors.

3. An insulating body having its surfaces so shaped as to substantally conform to the in ...which it is disposed.

' Il. The combination with conductingmembers of unlike electrical potentials having their adjacent surfaces so lformed and proportioned as to minimize concentration of stress in anyportion or portions of the elec-- tric field existing between them', of aninter-r posed insulating body in intimate contact1 with the adjacent surfaces of the conducting membersand having an external surface' that substantially conforms to4 the lines of force representing the electric field between said conducting members.

' 5. The combination with conducting'membersof unlike electrical potentials so propor` tioned'as to minimiZe-concentration of stress 'in anyportion or `portions of the electric.-

anv interposed insulating body for supportfield existing between them, of an interposed insulating body inintimate contact with the adjacent surfaces of the conductin members and having its disengaged sura shaped as to approximately conform tothe .lines of force representingthe aforesaid electric field.

6. The combination with two conducting members of' unlike-electrical potentials, of an interposed insulating body having its surfaces so shaped asto conform to .the lines.

of force Vrepresenting' the electric field be tween the conducting members-and also so shaped that the line'of intersection between the surface of the insulating bodyl and either yof the conductors isa locusof points having equal intensity. v i* 7. The combin'ationwith conducting members AofA unlike electrical potentials, of an interposed insulating body -in intimate contact with the adjacent surfaces of the conducting members and so formed that the lines of intersection between the surfaces of the 4insulating body and the conducting the surfaces of the conducting members.

a 8. The combination with conductingmembers of unlike -electricalpotentials having their sizes proportioned and -their'adjacent surfacesfso formed as to minimize concentration of stress in any portion of the electric ces so 'aeld existia between them, of an interposed tions ofthe electric field existing between them, of an interposed insulating' bod in intimatecontact with the adjacent vsur aces Y. of the conducting members and having its surfaces so kformed as to approximately con'- form to the 'lines of force representing the aforesaid electric yfield and so that the lines of intersection between it andthe conducting members are loci of equi-intensity points o n the surfaces of the conducting members.l

10. The vcombination with conducting membersof different potentials, of an interposed body having its surfaces so shaped as ductin 11. he combination-with a plate orwall of conducting material .having an orifice therein, and a terminal member of hour- Vglass shape extending therethrough and diff fering in potential from the plate or wall, of

ing, the terminal member, said body. being v shaped to conform substantially to the e1ec.4

porting the terminal member, said body bei'ng. shaped to conform substantially to the electric field -existing between the conducting'members, and said late or wall being enlarged to .provide a ange at the orifice havingits surface curved to correspond to "the adjacent surface of the terminalmember. f

1 3. The combination with a conductor, an insulating bushing surrounding the conductor, and: a conducting member surrounding the bushing intermediate its ends, of a conducting body. extending transverselyl of, and connected to the conductor and' shaped so as to produce a substantially uniform disface of the bushing.

14. The combination with a conductor, an insulating bushing surrounding the conductor, and a conducting member surroundmem' I to conformtothe lines of force representing the electric field existing between said conlas i tribution ofelectrostatic stressupon the suriaa u ing the bushing intermediate its ends, of Aa conducting 'body at one end of the bushing havingv a convexlycurved surface exposed to thel electrostaticiield existing between it and said conducting'member.

15; The combination'with a conductor, an insulating bushing surrounding the conduc tor, and a conducting member surrounding the bushing intermediate its ends, of a conducting body u on the said conductor ex- -ternal tothe sai bushing having a convexly curved surface exposed' tothe electrostatic field existing between it andthe said member. y

16. vThe combination with a conductor, an

' insulating bushing surrounding the conducshaped so as to produce a substantially unitor,and a conducting member surrounding thebushing intermediate its ends, of a oo nducting body extending transversely of the Iconductor at one end of the bushing and form distribution of electrostatic stress upon the surface of the bushing.l v

17. A structure comprising tWo conducting members and an" interposed insulating member, the exposed surfaces of said conducting members being expanded \and so exposed surfaces of the insulating member.

. In testimonywhereof, We have hereunto subscribed our names this 19th day of April,

1mm, c. inuunimt.V

SIDNEY w. rlnrswoarn. omar-Es LE Grrr roarnseun Witnesses:

C. S. LAWSON,

BLE. HiNFs.` 

